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Connections

New York's crackdown on scalpers

A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.
WXXI News

Why are concert tickets so expensive and who is really profiting?

As New York lawmakers weigh a bill that would let artists block ticket resales, we take a closer look at how this plays out between musicians, fans, and powerful resale platforms like StubHub. We break down what the proposed policy could mean for the live music economy, and why some say it could hand even more power to Ticketmaster.

We also hear from musicians and venue owners who’ve seen the impact of scalping firsthand. What’s the real cost of a ticket when it’s resold for five times its face value? And what alternatives exist to make live events more affordable and fair?

Guest host Gino Fanelli addresses those questions with our panelists:

  • Jimmy Vielkind, state government and politics reporter for WNYC
  • Dan Armbruster, lead singer and founding member of Joywave
  • Zack Mikida, owner/operator of Anthology

Gino Fanelli is an investigative reporter who also covers City Hall. He joined the staff in 2019 by way of the Rochester Business Journal, and formerly served as a watchdog reporter for Gannett in Maryland and a stringer for the Associated Press.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Veronica Volk is a senior producer and editor for WXXI News.
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson" and is also the office administrator for radio, news and technology and operations. She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.